Hey! So this is my second Star Wars fanfiction. My first one is A Happy Ending, which you should totally read! *Wink wink* ;) Anyways, this one takes place before Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and a few of the characters are made up by yours truly. Also, I do use some Huttese in this chapter and most likely the next. Huttese is pretty easy to understand because it's fairly similar to Galactic Basic, otherwise known as English. If it's still a bit difficult to understand, I'll include the link for a Huttese translator at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!

A Second Chance

Chapter I

She watched through the rain as her fellow Padawans and younglings fell at the hands of the searing, sparking red blade. They were all gone. She knew that they were, yet she still had hope. There were always survivors. If there was one thing that Master Skywalker had taught her, it was that hope could get you through anything.

She crawled on her hands and knees behind one of the Padawan's limp bodies. It made her want to scream, but she knew that she couldn't. It would give her away.

Her hands raked across the wet ground. She fought to keep moving. All she wanted was to give up; her muscles ached and she was exhausted.

Her eyes landed on one of the other bodies. She recognized the auburn hair that was so similar to hers.

"Zhenna!"

She forgot all about hiding and her own safety as she ran towards her sister.

"Zhenna!" she cried again. She looked down and saw the gash in her side.

"I'm okay," her older sister said softly. "You need to go, you can't stay here. It's not safe." Her voice came out strained and hoarse.

"Please," the younger girl whispered. "You can't-"

"Rae-Lynn, listen to me. I'm not going to make it out of here."

"Yes, you are," she replied, a tear glistening in her eye. It mingled with the rain drops on her face as it rolled down her cheek. "You have to."

Zhenna smiled and put her hand in Rae-Lynn's.

"You have to leave."

"No, not without you. I can't!"

"You can. I know you can. The Force flows through you, surely and strongly. Just call on it when you need strength."

Rae-Lynn sniffled and nodded. "Zhenna, I-"

Zhenna stopped her. "You can't stay here for much longer. He'll find you. You have to go."

She tightened her grip on Rae-Lynn's hand as her breath hitched. "I love you, little Lynn." She pulled on Rae-Lynn's Padawan braid softly, just like she always did to irritate her, but this time, it didn't make her scowl. It made her grin solemnly.

"I love you, too, Zhen-Zhen."

She felt her sister's grasp soften. Rae-Lynn looked into her eyes. They were still gleaming green with wisdom and knowledge, yet they were lifeless and unseeing.

"I'm sorry," Rae-Lynn whispered as she closed Zhenna's eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

She looked down at her hand. Zhenna had slipped a pendant between her fingers with a strange design on it.

She heard crackling just a few yards away from her. Her head turned to see that flaming red saber.

Rae-Lynn dragged her feet up from the ground and started running as fast as her young, eleven year old legs could. She leaned towards the Force, using it to speed her sprints. Whoever that person was, though, they still caught up to her. She felt their hands pull on the hood of her cloak.

She fell to the ground on her knees. If this was how she was going to go, she would do it honorably.

She faced her killer with a look of defiance. "Do it."

Rae-Lynn couldn't see their face. It was hidden behind an apparatus of sorts.

"Only a coward would hide behind a mask."

She watched as her mystery attacker removed the mask slowly. They let it fall to the ground.

"Ben?"

He kept his eyes trained on his saber and avoided looking at her.

"What are you doing?"

He responded by bringing the saber closer to her neck. She felt the heat radiating off it and the sweat that had gathered on her brow.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I have to," he said quietly.

"No, you don't. There's always another way." Rae-Lynn was suddenly aware of the tears that streamed down her face.

He started to push the saber into her shoulder. She winced and tried to ignore the burning sensation that was quickly spreading.

"Stop," she said between her clenched teeth. "This isn't you. You know it's not right. Master Skywalker taught you better than this."

"He is weak. I have a chance to be stronger than he could ever be."

"Through the Dark Side?"

Rae-Lynn watched in fear as he raised the saber. She forced herself to look into his eyes, daring him to finish what he started. If need be, she would pull out her own lightsaber, but it would only come to that if she had no other choice.

He closed his eyes tightly and turned away.

"Go."

"What?"

"Run. Before I change my mind."

Rae-Lynn woke up panting, tears clinging to her cheeks. She groaned and realized that it was the same dream that she had remembered the past few nights as well. It was strange that her memories tied in so accurately with her dreams. The only part that wasn't true was how Ben had spared her. Back when it had happened, she'd had to fight her way out of there. Ben had given up when she had managed to knock his saber away from him and he said that it wasn't the last time that she would see him. He would find her again.

She sighed and decided to get up. It was early in the morning, but at least she would make it out to the cantina before everyone else.

She threw on a white shirt and slipped on some black leggings that had been so worn that they were covered in holes. She pulled on her scuffed boots that could use some polishing and shrugged on her favorite dark brown jacket as well. Her hair, as always, was in a mess of tangled red curls. The best she could do was tie it back simply with a band.

She looked around her plain, simple square home. The only things inhabitating the house was a small bed, a sink, a stove and oven, a cabinet, and an incredibly slim bathroom off to the right. She didn't own much, and she was fine with that. Just enough to get by.

Rae-Lynn grabbed her pouch of credits and tied it to her belt. She started to walk out the door of her tiny house, but she retraced her steps and placed her blaster in the holster at her belt as well. You never knew how much people would act up, and she felt like she would need it today.

Her hand brushed over her lightsaber as she reached under her pillow for Zhenna's pendant. It had been so long since she had channeled the Force. As a matter of fact, she was almost sure that she had lost whatever skill she had with it- including her lightsaber. She wasn't sure if she should bring it with her. Normally, she left it home because of the risk. The galaxy believed that the Jedi were dead, and a lightsaber would be either a sign of Jedi or Sith affiliation.

She was in enough trouble as it was. Almost every bounty hunter was on her back for all the deals that she had let fall through.

She had learned to trust her instincts, though. Sighing, she grabbed the lightsaber and tucked it deep into the bottom of her bag underneath the other random things that she had accumulated from trades. She slung the bag across her body, and left the house.

Rae-Lynn stepped out into the sandy planet of Tatooine and shielded her eyes against the glare of the suns. Once she was sure that she wasn't going to cross paths with someone that didn't like her, she made her way through the small town, which was just a short distance from Mos Eisley. A lot of people from that area came down here. It was mostly a resting spot for pod racers and criminals that needed a chance to rest or lie low. That was why she liked the place.

She pushed the cantina door open. The first thing she heard was a song by the Max Rebo band playing on a radio.

"'Morning, Lynn," called the Rodian cantina owner. His green fingers slid a rag across the bar's counters.

"Good morning, Raucko."

He was one of the very few nice people that she knew. He always helped her when she was in tough spots, especially when she managed to get into trouble with the locals.

"What'll it be?" His nasally voice drew her from her thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"You alright?"

"Yeah, of course," she smiled. "I was just… thinking about all the credits I owe you and nearly everybody else." To be honest, she had been thinking about the dream.

"Nah, you don't owe me anything," he said. "You're a good person, and I'm always more than happy to help you out when you need it. As a matter of fact, I'll make you something. On the house."

"No, it's okay. I don't need anything."

Raucko gave her a look.

Rae-Lynn laughed. "Alright, alright. I'll take a Tatooine Sunset."

"This early in the morning?" Raucko chuckled. "You must've had a rough time yesterday."

"Well, Ikao made me mad. He still owes me things from a long time ago, and I may have accidentally broken one of his fingers."

Raucko set to making her drink. "You caused quite a ruckus. The whole place was watching you. How were you able to break his finger, anyways? He yelped like someone had kicked him… you know where."

"Pretty easy, really. I stomped on his hand. He was just stupid enough to leave his hand resting on the table, even when he saw me climbing on the table. Anyways, he was supposed to give me fifty credits for that F-11D blaster rifle! Do you know how hard it was for me to find that here on Tatooine? Normally, it wouldn't be that hard, I mean, those blaster rifles are pretty common, but I've been swamped with so much other stuff lately. I went through so much trouble, all for him, and he only gave me twenty! And if you ask me-"

Raucko laughed and pushed her Tatooine Sunset towards her. "Well, don't you worry. I hear that he's leaving."

"Where?" Rae-Lynn sipped her drink and ignored the burn it sent down her throat.

"He's heading towards the Core, around Coruscant. They're saying that he's looking into selling death sticks."

Rae-Lynn nearly choked. "Death sticks? I mean, I knew that Ikao was a lowlife and a slum, but I didn't think he'd go that low. That's just sad."

"Well, it's actually a decent business. A lot of people down in that area are practically desperate for those things and will pay just about anything for them. And don't forget, Ikao holds a lot of power around these parts. He's pretty much the biggest crime lord- around here, anyways. He's nothing compared to the Hutts, though. Ikao may be stupid sometimes, but he's so intimidating that he gets whatever he wants. He's got a lot of people working for him."

"Yeah, I know. If he does leave, though, then that would make my life so much easier..."

"Of course, it's all just talk, so I wouldn't get your hopes up."

She shrugged.

Raucko took advantage of the silence between them. "Look, I've been meaning to talk to you about this… I know that you're a good person and all, but the business and deals and whatever you smugglers do causes trouble."

She looked at him, slightly offended. "I'm not a smuggler. I just… assist. If someone needs something, I'll get it for them- at a price, of course. That's how I make a living! You wouldn't want me to go out living on the streets of Coruscant, buying death sticks from Ikao, would you?"

"The only thing that makes you good at what you do is your charming self; it's hard to refuse you." Raucko shook his head. "I bet if you ask others, they'll agree with me."

He gestured towards the window. "People are gonna start showing up. If you've got somewhere to be, I would leave before the first wave hits."

Rae-Lynn nodded and pushed her finished drink across the counter to him. "I know. I have some… business to attend here."

"You better not start any fights in my cantina, Lynn."

"No promises, but I'll try."

"That's what you say every day."

Rae-Lynn laughed. "Thanks for the drink, Raucko."

"No problem," he said back. He grabbed another rag and started polishing a glass. "Be careful, Lynn. I hear that a lot of people are mad at you."

"Don't worry about me," she assured him. "I can take care of myself. Besides, it's not like I'm in as much debt as Han Solo himself."

"You never know…"

Raucko's voice was drowned out by the sound of his first wave of customers. They shoved past each other to get a good seat at the bar.

Rae-Lynn moved to the back corner. She put her legs up on the table and leaned back in her seat. She had learned that it made her look more intimidating, like she had more power than she really did. She brought her hands behind her head and closed her eyes.

That dream had kept her up all night. She still thought it was strange. When she had dreamt it before, Ben and her had engaged in saber contact, just like it had actually happened all those years ago. It had been the only way for her to survive. Yet last night, he had spared her.

Maybe it was a sign that he was changing. She had heard about the infamous Kylo Ren, and she was cretain that it was Ben. He had killed the only person she had ever loved, Zhenna. And though it may be a petty reason for hating him, she never finished her Padawan years because of him. Edus Farlance had just taken her up as his Padawan after becoming a Master a few weeks before the attack. He had also been killed by Kylo Ren.

He hated him. With all her heart, soul, and every other part of her. But she didn't hate Ben. He was a good person. Kylo Ren had destroyed him and replaced him with an artificial mask that clouded his life with darkness.

Although it was false hope, she believed that he would eventually turn back to the light.

It was hard for her to say that she still followed the light as well. She had fallen so far. She was technically a smuggler… and a criminal. She didn't care much about anything except herself and her survival.

She chuckled to herself as she realized that she was actually pretty similar to Han Solo.

Rae-Lynn heard someone walking past to her right. She tilted her head up just a bit and groaned.

"Ubis Nuiv."

The beige Dug grinned.

Rae-Lynn scowled. He was rumored to be related to Sebulba, but as far as she knew Sebulba had never had any children. Still, Ubis definitely was a spitting image of Sebulba. He was even an esteemed pod racer.

He pushed himself up onto the chair across from her, leaning forward on the table.

"Mee hagwa naga trouble gee u today, Ubis. If mee owe u something, mee promise mee'll give it tah u by doe end of this week. Just give je tee-tocky. Mee have other things tah do," Rae-Lynn said in Huttese before he could speak first.

Ubis laughed. "Noah, u hagwa owe je anything. U moolee-rah je bata do few weeks ago. Actually, mee came unko tah choba u do job."

"Mee'm nopa interested."

She closed her eyes again and prayed that he would go away.

He smirked. "Da's peetch goola. Mee was koona tah choba u 1,500 credits tah repair myo pod che doe chawa. But if u're gonna be like da, mee'll find someone else."

1,500? That's enough to pay at least three people back. Rae-Lynn's eyelids flew open as she sat up straighter. "Mee'll take doe job. Whao does it need tah be finished?"

"Tomorrow. U'll have tah finish it today."

Her jaw dropped. There was no way she could repair a pod in one day. "Today? Kava much damage?"

"Just do fried engine. Nothing da u can't fix."

Rae-Lynn thought for a moment. She needed those credits, but she couldn't guarantee a good, solid repair if she only had one day. "Fine, but u have tah supply doe parchee. Mee'm nopa spending myo credits on do stupid pod."

Ubis nodded. "Da's fair enough."

"If da's all u have tah settah, bolla," Rae-Lynn said.

Ubis twisted the tendrils that hung from his snout-like face between two fingers in thought. "Hmm… Oh, um mee was supposed tah deliver u do wankee tuta Ikao. He said da he apologizes che kickee misunderstandings between u, um da he'll meet u tomorrow at doe chawa tah talk."

"Misunderstandings?" Rae-Lynn laughed. "Mee hagwa naga tah talk tah him. Tell him da if he shows tonka unko at doe cantina by night gee myo F-11D blastoh rifle, then jee-jee can talk."

Ubis nodded and left without another word or thanks. Rae-Lynn hadn't expected him to thank her. She sighed as she realized that it would take her forever to repair his fried engine. How was she supposed to finish it in a day?

She heard someone else sit down at the table. She didn't bother looking up, nor did she even open her eyes.

"If I owe you something, I promise that I will have all payments due by the end of this week. I'm receiving a large amount of credits today, so I'll be able to pay you back for whatever." She paused and worked out the translation from Galactic Basic to Huttese in her head. "If mee owe u something, mee promise da mee will have all payments due by doe end of this week. Mee'm receiving do grancha amount of credits today, so mee'll be able tah wamma u bata che whatever."

She sensed that they were still in front of her. It was a humanoid presence, so she continued to speak in Basic. "Look, I'll pay you five credits right now if you go away. I'm not in the mood."

"I don't want your money."

"Fine, then go."

They were still standing there. Sighing, she looked up finally. A man was looking at her through strange orange goggles. They enlarged his brown eyes and made his thin lips look even smaller.

"Who are you?"

He didn't answer her question. "Ikao wants to speak with you."

Rae-Lynn looked down at his jacket, where a name was written in small script. Fenro. She had heard that name before, but only mentioned every now and then by Ikao.

"Ah, so you must be one of his little henchmen. And yes, I'm well aware that he wants to talk. I don't."

"All he wants is to make sure that your recent arguments have been resolved."

Rae-Lynn laughed loudly. "Is that what he's calling them? Arguments? First I was told that he's calling misunderstandings, and now-"

She saw his hand move. She had to admit, he was skilled at making it look casual. But she knew better. Her hand slid down her side until it rested on her own blaster.

"You tell him the same thing that Ubis is telling him: if he wants to talk, then he will show up here tonight with my F-11D blaster rifle."

"Ikao doesn't like being told what to do."

Rae-Lynn smiled. "I know. I don't like being told what to do either."

She pulled her blaster out of its holster swiftly and fired above his head. It just barely singed the top of his graying hair.

"That was a warning shot. Get out before this turns ugly."

The man shot and missed. It hit the wall, burning a small hole into it. By that point, a quarter of the cantina was staring at them. The other three quarters were too busy with their own business to notice.

"Okay, ugly it is," Rae-Lynn sighed.

They both stood and pointed their blasters at each other.

"It's always a shame for the messenger," she mused. "They always get caught in the crossfire of problems that don't concern them."

The man pulled the trigger, but she had already assessed the situation and had known what he was going to do. She ducked under the table in hopes of dodging his fire. It worked; he hit the leg of the table instead. When she came back up, she was unguarded. The man smiled, putting the barrel of his blaster against her head.

Think, think, think… This is not how you're going to die… Especially not in Raucko's cantina...

"Wouldn't Ikao be mad if you killed his best supplier?"

"He has several others just like you," the man said. "You're just a nuisance now."

She saw his grip tighten.

He won't really shoot me. He doesn't have the look of a killer.

Rae-Lynn forced tears to well up in her eyes. It took a few moments, but she managed to get a few tears to roll down her cheeks. "Please, don't hurt me. I'm sorry."

The man furrowed his brow. "What?"

His guard was down, just like hers had been, and that was all she needed. She wrapped her hand around his wrist and twisted it sharply as she stood. His hand opened in shock of the pain and dropped the blaster.

Then it was only a matter of seconds until her blaster was pressed against his chest. She used her other hand to grab his fallen weapon.

The man attempted to knock her off her feet by kicking her legs, but she held her ground.

"Lynn!"

She craned her neck to see Raucko. She groaned.

"Today's your lucky day."

She pushed him away roughly, keeping his blaster in her hand, and watched as he left the cantina hurriedly.

At least Ikao would be hearing her reply soon.

Tell me what you think in the reviews! I'm not sure if this story will be as successful as my other one, but we'll see! I know that right now it might seem kind of lame, but it'll start to progress faster really soon; it's just starting out. So please follow, favorite, and review! :D